Device for securing a series of drawers



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. FIS'ET.

DEVICE FOR SECURING A SERIES OF DRAWERS. No. 332,887. Patented Dec. 15, 1885. U 7% F N. PETERS. PhMwLllhugrupf-U, W-uhinglnn. 11c.

UNITED STATES PATENT Orricn.

MICHEL FISET, OF ALBANY, NEl/V YORK.

DEVICE FOR SECURING A SERIES OF DRAWERS.

QPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 332,337, dated December 15, 1885.

Serial No. 176,991. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, MIoHEL FIsET, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Securing a Series of Drawers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for securing a series of drawers from being moved; and it consists of the devices and combinations of devices and parts hereinafter particularly described,and specifically set forth in the claims; and the objects of my invention are to provide means, hereinafter described,by which one drawer of one or more series of drawers will be made to operate catches for securing in place all the drawers of the series, or for holding the catches in position out of engagement with coacting catches attached to the drawers accordingly as one of the devices in this invention is adjusted. I attain these objects by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is ?a plan view of two series of drawers with the mechanism for locking the same in looking position. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same with parts in position when the catching devices are out of engagement with each other. Fig. 3 is a rear side elevation with the rear panel of the case removed. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken at line 1 in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the catchshaft and the coacting catching devices preferred to be employed. Fig. 6 is an illustration of the adjustable switch and its connection with the master-drawer and the positions it may be adjusted to for operation. Fig. 7 shows modifications of forms of the movable catching devices preferred to be employed for carrying out my invention.

The same letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A is the desk, chest, or case containing the drawers. The drawings show two series of drawers, A and 13, though three or more similar series of drawers may be contained in the case to be secured or released at will. The series A is composed of the masterdrawer a and subordinate drawers a and a and any other similar drawers arranged in the same vertical line. The series B is composed of the several,fsubordinatei drawers'"b b 3 12 or more, arranged in the same vertical line or tier. The master-drawer a is provided with any suitable lock of any known construction which will lock with the case in the ordinary manner. This locl; is shown at Z, Figs. 1 and 2, though it may be secured elsewhere in the drawer.

O is an adjustable switch, secured to a side of the mastendrawer in a jointed manner, preferably. In the drawings it is shown to be hinged to thelside of the drawer by hinge c, Fig. 6, so as to adapt it to be turned from position of full lines, same figure, to that of dotted lines. A suitable spring or eqnivalent device, 0, between the end board of 7c the drawer and the end of this switch operates to hold the switch to the position adjusted to. This switch is made with a beveled side, 0 or incline, as shown in Fig. 1, and when this switch is in position of full lines in Fig. 6 the incline 0 Fig. 1, will face inward, as shown in Fig. 1, and when it is in position or situation of dotted lines in Fig. 6, this incline will face down toward the bottom of the drawer, and this switch itself will be;

out of situation for affecting the other mechanism, as is illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 3.

D is a lever pivoted at d to the top board or table, A (shown by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and Z and full lines in Figs. 3 and 4,) of the case. D is a roller pivoted to the forward arm of this lever.

E is a suitable spring between lever D and the top A and operates with lever D to draw its rearward limb inward and cause the short end of the same to be carried toward the incline c of the switch G, when the latter is in position shown by full linesin Figs. 1, 8, and 6.

F is a vertical shaft arranged at the rear of the drawers (4 a a of the series A, and is held in place by the top and bottom bearing-plates, f f, secu red,respectively,to the top and bottom piece of the desk or case. Steadying bearingpieces f, one or more, may be employed between the ends of this shaft for holding it from springing. This shaft is free to be turned in either direction in said bearings, and is provided with arm F", which arm may be made asmay be preferred.

G is a link having a pivoted connection with bolt-arm F and the long limb of lever D.

H H are catches attached to shaft F. These catches are employed in number corresponding with the number of drawers in series A less the master-drawer a, and are secured to the shaft F in any suitable manner, preference being given to the use of sleeves h (made with the catches) and set-screw h, working against a flattened portion of the shaft, or by riveting or otherwise. These catches are preferably made in the form of a hook, as shown in Fig. 7, though'they may be made in the form of an eye, as shown in the same figure.

F is a second vertical shaft secured at the rear ends of drawers 1) b b of the series B by bearing-plates f f, and, like shaft F, is free to be turned in either direction. Secured to this shaft are catches H H, corresponding in number with the number of drawers in the series. These catches may be secured to shaft F'in the like manner as are catches to shaft F.

I I are holding pins or pieces secured to the rear ends of the respective drawers, and opposite to the respective catches H H of shafts F F. These holding-pieces may be made in the form of simple pins or screws or angle-pieces secured to the bottoms or rear end pieces of the drawers, or to both, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5; and they are set in such a relation to the catching -pieces H on the respective shafts F F that the said catching-pieces will engage with them, as illustrated by full lines in Figs. 4 and 5 and dotted lines 7 in Figs. 1 and 2. WVhen catches made with an eye form, as illustrated in Fig. 7, are used, I would make the holding-pieces with a hooklike form, with the hook portion arranged to readily enter the eye when it is turned toward it.

J is a connecting bar, having its ends pivoted to the respective arms F F of shafts F F by pivots z 1', Figs. 1 and 2. When switch 0 is turned down to position of dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 6, it will be out of engagement with lever D, and spring E will operate to hold the said lever in position as to carry arm F of shaft F to the position shown in Fig. 6, when arm F of shaft F will be carried to a similar position by means of connecting-bar J, and the several catches H on shafts F F will be thrown out of engagement with their respective coacting holding-pieces I, secured to the drawers, so that any and all of the drawers in the two series A and B will be free to be drawn out. When switch 0 is in position shown by full lines in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 6, spring 0 will retain the same in its upturned situation at the side of drawer a for operation with lever D. When master-drawer a is drawn out to a distance, so that the roller D of lever D will not bear on the highest portion of the-incline surface 0 of the switch, as shown in Fig. 2, springE will operate to hold lever D in position shown, so

that the catching-pieces H on shaft F will be out of engagement with the holding-pins I I, attached to drawers a of, as shown in Fig. 2; but when the master-drawer a is shoved in to its full distance the roller D will ride up on incline c of switch 0 and crowd said lever D into position shown in Fig. 1, and cause it, through link G and arm F to turn shaft F partly around and to a distance sufficient to carry catching-pieces H into engagement with the holding pins or devicesI I of the respective drawers a a when these drawers will be securely secured from being pulled out, and when lock 2 of drawer a is locked with the top piece of the desk or case all the other drawers in the series A will be secured as strongly as if each were locked shut by an independent lock. When the switch-piece (leis in position of full lines in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 6,, the connecting-bar J will, through the pivots t of the respective. arms F of shafts F F, op.- erate to hold the catches H secured to shaft F in engagement with the holding-pins I of the respective drawers b b b of the series B,

so that none of the said drawers can be pulled out; but when the said switch is in position of dotted lines in Figs. 2, 3, and 6, the said connecting-bar J will, through spring Eoperating lever D, hold shaft F turned to position to carry catches H out of holding engagement with holding-pins I of these drawers, so that any one or more of the same canbe drawn out at will.

When several other series of drawers are employed in a desk or case, I provide a corresponding number of shafts similar to shaft F, provide each with an arm, F and catches H, and I continue the length of connectingbar J to such a distance as to pivot with each. of the said arms, and also provide each drawer of the additional series with holding-pins I, when all these additional shafts will beoperated simultaneously with shafts F F by spring E and switch 0 accordingly as the switchC.

is in position and the master-drawer is open or closed, as above described. In some cases I would omit the link G and pivot arm F directly to lever D by a slot form of pivot-hole made in the rear end of said lever. The switch may be placed at either side of the drawer, the lever mechanism and other parts being suitably arranged or adjusted for adapt.- ing the switch to operate them. Catches H, being provided with sleeves h and secured. to the shafts by set-screws, are readily adjustable onthe same in relation to holding-pins 1, secured to the drawers. erably made with sleeves e, and securedon said, shafts by set-screws e, and are thereby adapted to be readily applied to any plain shaft, the same as are catches, H.

Having described my invention, what. I; claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. In a desk or. case containing twoseries,

A and B, of drawers, the combination, with, the same, and holding-pins I, securedtosaid ITO The arms F -are pref-. 1

drawers, except the master-drawer, of shafts h and setscrew h, substantially as and for F F, provided with catches H, and connected the purposes set forth.

by bar J and lever D, connected with an arm 3. The combination,with shaft F (orF) and of one of said shafts, and the master-drawer lever D, and link G, connected with the latr 5 5 a, provided with switching device 0, and the ter, of the adjustable arm F having sleeve spring E between lever D and the desk or eand sct-screw e, substantiallyasjand for the case, substantially as and for the purposes set purposes set forth.

forth. MICHEL FISE'I.

2. The combination,with holding devices I, Vitnesses: 10 secured to the drawer, and vertical shaft F, M. LABBERTE,

(or F,) of the adjustable catch H, having sleeve FRANK SELKIRK. 

